Mr. Speaker, a Quebec coalition led by the FTQ is calling for improvement to the guaranteed income supplement in order to provide immediate help to our least fortunate seniors. The president of the Fédération des femmes du Québec points out that many women work in unstable jobs without a pension plan and that improving the GIS would help them directly.

Will the government finally decide to improve the monthly guaranteed income supplement benefits?

Mr. Speaker, that is something we did in the budget a few years ago. The hon. member may not have noticed, but we have done a number of things to help seniors.

In fact, we have increased the GIS credit from $500 to $3,500. That was to help seniors, especially those living in conditions like those described by the hon. member. He should have supported that measure.

Mr. Speaker, we are the ones who want to help seniors living in poverty. That is why we have made it much easier to register for GIS benefits. For example, when people turn 65, they need to apply only once and as long as they file a tax return every year, their claim will automatically be assessed. That is something we are very proud of.

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister has long been infatuated with the former right-wing leader of Australia, John Howard, even going so far as to plagiarize his speeches. Through family, business and politics, Mr. Howard is linked to BHP Billiton, the foreign company that is trying to take over the Potash Corporation of Saskatchewan.

Last week. the Prime Minister gave PotashCorp the back of his hand, clearly showing bias in Canada's foreign investment review process. Is that because he is doing the bidding of his old friend, John Howard?

Mr. Speaker, I thought it was beneath the hon. member to make unsubstantiated, ridiculous, false allegations against our Prime Minister. However, the hon. member has shown once again that he is perfectly willing to scrape the bottom of the barrel.

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister dismisses potash as not all that important and not strategic. However, when one transaction shifts an entire Canadian industry into the hands of a single foreign buyer, when that industry is potash, vital to food production worldwide for generations to come, when 53% of the world's reserves are in Saskatchewan and they are about to be controlled forever from outside of Canada, and when it is the biggest resource sell-off in history with nothing of significance left in Canadian hands thereafter, why is that not considered strategic by the government?

Mr. Speaker, we will make our determination based on the net benefit to Canada test, which is found in the Investment Canada Act. I take the hon. member's suggestion seriously, although I would note for the House that he was part of a government that never said no to anybody.

Mr. Speaker, today we are joined on Parliament Hill by farmers from the northern Alberta Peace region. They are here to ask why they are being denied federal aid to help them weather a 12-year drought.

While increased assistance was provided to farmers in the south hit by flooding, the government continues to ignore the pleas of Alberta's northern producers.

With the pittance offered in federal relief, farmers are forced to sell their herds and their lands to corporate enterprises.

When will the minister commit to provide this sorely needed assistance?

Gerry RitzMinister of Agriculture and Agri-Food and Minister for the Canadian Wheat Board

Mr. Speaker, we have a great record of working with farmers across this great country, regardless of what they are up against, whether it is market variations or the weather itself. Certainly discussions are ongoing with the Province of Alberta, our partner in this particular enterprise, and those assessments are under way.

Mr. Speaker, as the minister is aware, the relief program is based on the last few years of farm income. These farmers have suffered huge losses in the past three years because of drought. The truth is that they are getting no relief. Worse hit are our struggling young farmers.

If the government truly values the contribution made by our family farms to the Canadian economy, will the minister finally give these producers the help they so desperately need and deserve?

Gerry RitzMinister of Agriculture and Agri-Food and Minister for the Canadian Wheat Board

Mr. Speaker, these farmers are well aware of this government's record in helping them in whatever their situation is, dire or otherwise.

What they are really concerned about is that particular party and its constant voting no against money that would flow to new programming ideas. What that party wants to do is go back to the future. No one in Canada wants to live on old MacDonald's farm anymore, especially this government. We want to see people move ahead.

Mr. Speaker, in these volatile economic times, our Conservative government is squarely focused on protecting and promoting the Canadian economy. Whether it be by opening new markets for our exporters through new free trade agreements or attracting new investment with our very low tax rates, we are committed to creating jobs and growing the economy.

The Minister of Finance was in Korea this past weekend standing up for Canadians from all corners. Would the parliamentary secretary inform the House on the minister's actions at this pre-G20 meeting?

Mr. Speaker, once again today, we hear the opposition coalition talking down Canada's economy while the finance minister is promoting Canada's strong economy throughout the world. He is working with the G20 finance ministers to help secure the global economic recovery. He is telling the world that Canada is projected to lead the G7 in growth in 2010 and 2011. He is telling the world that we are lowering taxes for Canadians.

While the opposition coalition continues to talk down the economy, our government is standing up for Canada.

Mr. Speaker, Canada was nowhere to be seen at the Sommet de la Francophonie, and in deciding to remove five of the poorest countries in Africa from CIDA's priority list for international aid, the Conservative government abandoned some member states of La Francophonie.

How could the Prime Minister have the nerve to appear before these countries, considering the fact that he did not fulfill his responsibilities to the poorest countries in the world?